Celebrity Traitors' Ross Kemp is murdered in plain sight after he falls into Maya Jama and James Acaster's 'yawning' trap

Their fate hinged on one simple question: who would yawn first - the TV hardman or the iconic supermodel.

And as Thursday's episode of Celebrity Traitors kicked off, it was Ross Kemp who fell victim to the Traitors' latest murder, and their first in plain sight. 

The EastEnders actor's growing paranoia was a major talking point at the start of the series - showcasing a very different side to his usual tough-guy persona. 

He previously accused Bella Ramsey and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of murdering him in plain sight - and now, ironically, that was his demise. 

While last Friday's episode ended on a cliffhanger with both Ross and Jerry Hall caught in the Traitors' trap in the lounge area, it was Ross who was the first Faithful to yawn. 

Inhaling the ‘deadly sleeping powder’, James then locked in the murder as he said: ‘Sorry Ross, am I boring you?’

Opening the envelope to reveal his fate, Ross read: 'Dear Ross, by order of the Traitors, you have been murdered. The Traitors murdered you in plain sight.'

He told the camera: 'I mean, I was really sensitive to people coming close to me. It could have been a cheers, could have been anything.

'There’s a great line from Shakespeare; I think it’s Polonius's advice to his son. To thy them self be true - and I have been true to myself, and I have been true to the Faithfuls. 

'Well played, Traitors, but you’re always going to be Traitors, and I know where you live.'

Feeling guilty about her kill, Maya said: 'Grant Mitchell, aka Ross Kemp, I loved you as a child, and I love you as a real person. 

'You just fell into the worst trap ever, and I’m so sorry. Hopefully we can still be friends.'

The next morning host Claudia Winkleman, 54, revealed the news, and suspicions grew as they hunted down clues about the murder in plain sight.

Last Friday fans were left convinced that Ross would rumble the Traitors' latest murder mission as they called out Maya and James's 'GCSE drama' yawning.

In tense scenes, while King Kenny was distracted by Sharon Rooney, Maya and James managed to lure Ross and Jerry into their room, with the pair seen engaging in 'boring' conversation while constantly yawning themselves in a bid to make the others follow suit.

However, fans at home called out the pair over their 'ridiculously obvious actions', noting that a highly suspicious Ross will no doubt cotton on to their actions. 

Taking to X, viewers expressed their fears that the Traitors would be called out by Ross, who has become known on the show for his intense paranoia. 

They penned: 'With all the fake yawning, Ross clocked this. Could Maya or even James have slipped up? No-one has questioned Maya yet but this may start now.'

'Ross clocking Maya’s GCSE drama yawning'; 'If that wasn't obvious I don't know what is.'

'I think they need it to be Ross because Jerry would be none the wiser. Ross looked suspicious there I think he'd think it's weird everyone kept yawning.'

'This is dangerous if Ross doesn't yawn, Jerry wouldn't clock Ross dying but Ross would absolutely clock the murderer.'

'Ross is suspicious, as always, think he's gonna clock Maya.' 

'Thing is whether it’s jerry or ross who go the person who survived surely is gonna be suspicious of what went down in that room bc the excessive yawning etc was Extremely odd.' 

'Maya's yawning is so ridiculously obvious lmao.'